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Windows 7 Released Early In UK

Posted by kdawson on from the getting-the-worm dept.

CNETNate writes "UK customers have been reporting that they received their copies of Windows 7 in the mail today. Currently the British postal service is threatening industrial action over pay, and planned walkouts may result in Windows 7 not being delivered on its release date. It is understood that Microsoft has agreed to let some retailers send out copies early to avoid disappointment, and to make the UK the first country in the world to have Windows 7 in customers' hands."

3 of 194 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Who'd have thought... by ozmanjusri · · Score: 4, Insightful
    I'll be honest; I'm not sure why there's so much delay before the general release anyhow.

    Microsoft is carefully stage-managing the hype.

    They are well aware that they need a win, some way to coax computer users off XP without frightening them into jumping off the Windows ship altogether. They can't take a risk by producing an innovative or interesting OS, but they still need to generate some excitement to erase all the bad feeling generated by Vista.

    So they release a mildly facelifted version of their failed OS, rely on improved hardware to mask the worst of the sluggishness and hype it to the max.

    Profit.

    --
    "I've got more toys than Teruhisa Kitahara."
  2. Re:Who'd have thought... by AmiMoJo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I know it's heresy on /. but Windows 7 is actually quite good. Seriously.

    Maybe we can now just stop all the holy wars and live in peace and harmony while celebrating the diversity of software available. I can dream can't I? :)

    PS. Steve Jobs smells.

    --
    const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
    SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  3. Re:Who'd have thought... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Not going to happen. For large business needs, maybe. But even then, the Royal Mail beats its competitors hands down on price, which really matters when you start talking in bulk terms.

    Is it really worth paying up to 10 times as much to get it one day early? Especially when you consider the sorting offices for post offices are local and often within 1-2 miles of you address. Whereas the FedEx style companies have only one office/distribution centre and its always outside of town/city in some crappy industrial estate with no bus service to it. So if you miss the package you have to fork out almost as much as it cost you to have it delivered in the first place and go through the inconvenience.

    I've had no problems with company itself (it's a private company btw, despite its name) just a few of their staff. My problems with my postie were dealt with extremely fast and not only was he fired, but they promptly called the police in and my stolen mail was returned :)